Apple Makes Forbes Platinum 400

December 26th, 2005 at 2:00 PM - Apple Stock Watch by Jeff Gamet

Apple Computer performed well enough to make the Forbes Platinum 400 list for 2005. The list winners are comprised of Americais best big companies that outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 12 months. The companies on the list all showed an average price gain of 15 percent from November 30, 2004 to November 29, 2005.

Apple stock was up 103 percent, with a revenue increase of 68 percent on sales of US$13.9 billion for its fiscal year ending in September 2005. iPod sales are seen as a major player in Appleis success for the year. Apple has made the list three times.

On a five-year total return, Apple ranked 19 on the list, showing a 49.8 percent change. Its stock didnit always look so good, however. At one point it traded as low as $6 a share.

The yearis biggest winner turned out to be SanDisk, with a 128 percent increase. Flash memory was the hot ticket in 2005, and SanDisk cashed in on sales of Flash-based memory cards for for digital cameras and MP3 players.

Apple stock is currently trading at $74.68, up 1.33 (1.81%).

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